After Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team failed to perform in South Africa, the Indian women’s cricket team are planning an elaborate build-up for their Proteas series.

Harmanpreet Kaur said that the Indian women’s cricket team will play practice matches in South Africa unlike Virat Kohli’s team.(PTI)

Lack of preparation is being blamed as a reason for the India men’s cricket team flopping in the Test series against South Africa. Their women counterparts don’t want to commit the same mistake and have already started preparations for next month’s tour.

Unlike the men’s team, which reached South Africa only a few days before the first Test in Cape Town, the women’s cricket team will reach in advance and get acclimatised before taking on South Africa women in the first ODI in Kimberley on February 5.

“Going early will help us. It is important to acclimatise to South African conditions. We are going to have a camp and then two practice matches before playing South Africa in the ODI series,” said all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, a key member of the Indian women’s cricket team.

The women’s team is currently at a weeklong camp at the Wankhede Stadium. Harmanpreet believes it is helping players build the right frame of mind ahead of the tour.

“Girls have done well in this camp. Since we will be playing ODIs and T20Is, we are preparing separately. We also have some new girls in the team, and for them it was important to interact with the others and get a sense of belonging,” the 28-year-old said.

The first Indian to play in the women’s Big Bash League said that experience would stand her in good stead. “Though this time I didn’t get too many chances to play in the BBL, the time I spent there with Sydney Thunder practising will help me a lot in South Africa.”

This will be the first international assignment for the Indian women’s cricket team after the dream run to the final at last year’s World Cup in England. Harmanpreet believes the break will help.

“We were playing a lot before the World Cup and all of us needed this break. Though it would have been better if we had played one or two matches in this period, this was a break our bodies needed.”

The Punjab player backed the Indian men’s cricket team to bounce back in South Africa. India are down 0-2 in the Test series. “It’s a learning process for them. They were playing in India for a long time. Suddenly, making a transition to foreign conditions is not easy. I’m sure they will make a comeback.”

Harmanpreet was all praise for Mumbai player Jemima Rodriguez, who has been outstanding in domestic matches. “She is really good. We need players like her. She can help us do well in future,” she said.